Southern Snacks Cookbook

The Southern Sympathy Cookbook

I'm P.C., and I have studied food and cooking around the world, mostly by eating, but also through serious study. Coursework at Le Cordon Bleu London and intensive courses in Morocco, Thailand and France have broadened my culinary skill and palate. But my kitchen of choice is at home, cooking like most people, experimenting with unique but practical ideas.

Blender Cheese Soufflé

Recipe magic. I love things like this. I ran across this recipe in a number of old-school community cookbooks. Enough times that I finally had to try it, to see if it could really work. I shouldn’t have doubted the vaunted cooks of the community recipe collection. It works, and it is genius. Now, it is not quite the same as a delicate French soufflé, one that involves whipping egg whites and gentle folding, but those come with the added risk of the dreaded collapse. But this is light, and if there is an easier, more impressive recipe I have yet to find it.

Let me say one thing. Don’t question the recipe. I did, and it was a waste of time. This works. I don’t know why buttering the bread slices makes a difference, and the blender will be full, but it works. This soufflé is an amazing accompaniment to roasted meats. It’s good on its own, or with a good tomato sauce. It makes a great side dish or a lovely luncheon dish with a light green salad. Whip this up for a weekend brunch, and your diners will be blown away by your skill in the kitchen.

Remove the crusts from the bread, then butter each slice. Cut the buttered bread into chunks and set aside. Cut 4 ounces of the cheese into small cubes, and grate the other half on a box grater and set aside.

Place milk and eggs in the carafe of a blender. Stuff the bread and the cheese cubes into the blender. The blender is going to be full, so stuff everything in there. Run the blender a few times to get things going. You’ll need to push the ingredients down into the blender. Add the seasonings and blend again until the batter is completely smooth.

Pour the batter into the prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle the remaining grated cheese over the batter and stir to combine with the batter.

Bake the soufflé for 45 – 50 minutes until it is puffed in the center and golden and no longer wobbles. If it starts to brown too much, loosely cover with foil while baking.